Robert Harmon Movies
The fifth installment of the Jesse Stone franchise finds the Massachusetts police chief drawing the wrath of the Town Council after inadvertently being drawn into a shoot-out on the streets of Boston. Paradise, Mass. Police Chief Jesse Stone (Tom Selleck) has just been involved in a highly-publicized shoot-out that left his friend, State Homicide Commander Healy (Stephen McHattie), seriously wounded. As a result, the Boston Police Department's Internal Affairs division launches an investigation against Chief Stone, causing the dedicated lawman to be away from Paradise for extended periods of time and drawing unwanted attention from the Town Council. When Chief Stone fires the Paradise Police Department's most enthusiastic ticket-writer, the city's main source of revenue takes a serious hit. His status with the Town Council already faltering, the chief puts his own job in serious jeopardy by agreeing to help a celebrated out-of-towner search for her missing child. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Tom Selleck
The fourth installment of the Jesse Stone series finds restless New England police chief Stone (Tom Selleck) fighting boredom by attempting to solve a twelve year-old cold case involving a murdered bank teller. Jesse Stone is a transplanted L.A. cop who thrived on big city adrenaline, but ultimately buckled under the pressure. Exiled to Paradise after suffering though a nasty divorce and being busted for drinking on the job, Stone now leads a quiet life of writing parking tickets and trying to suppress the urge to cut loose with the booze and babes. When one of his officers out on maternity leave and the other recovering from a recent gunshot wound, Stone turns to some old cold cases to keep himself occupied. Twelve years ago, a local bank teller was killed in broad daylight. Though the gunman responsible for the crime was never brought to justice, Stone soon uncovers a crucial piece of evidence that went overlooked during the original investigation. Now, as this once-cold case gradually begins to heat up again, Stone continues his investigation into an alleged rape that tool place aboard a yacht during Race Week. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Tom Selleck, Viola Davis, (more)
Tom Selleck returns to the role of small-town police chief Jesse Stone in this prequel to the CBS TV movie Stone Cold. Having been booted from the LAPD for drunkenness (brought on by his divorce), Stone heads to tiny Paradise, Massachussetts, where through the auspices of local banker Hastings Hathaway (Saul Rubinek) he is appointed chief of police. His first assignment is to investigate the murder of his predecessor Lou Carson (Mike Starr), whose death may or may not be tied in with a local domestic-abuse case involving minor mob functionary Jo Jo Genest (Stephen Baldwin). Although his new staff has a lot of trouble dealing with Stone's eccentricities--not least of which is insisting upon taking his pet dog Boomer wherever he goes--Jesse gradually wins them over. Along the way, he also tries to melt the heart of his staunchest adversary, attractive attorney Abby Taylor (Polly Shannon--all the while fending off the advances of banker Hathaway's libidinous wife Cissy (Stephanie March). Based on a novel by Robert B. Parker, Jesse Stone: Night Passage was originally telecast on January 15, 2006. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Tom Selleck
A tough cop must deal with some ugly crimes in a small New England town in this made-for-TV mystery. Jesse Stone (Tom Selleck) is the thick-skinned chief of police in the small town of Paradise, MA; while Stone has a good heart, he's not the sort of man who wears his emotions on his sleeve, and often turns to whiskey when his work gets to be too much for him. When a series of unexplained murders begin occurring in Paradise, Stone begins to suspect Andrew Lincoln (Reg Rogers) and his wife, Brianna (Jane Adams), a pair of eccentric artists who have a fascination with violence. But when 16-year-old Candace Pennington (Alexis Dziena) is brought in to see Stone by her mother and father after she's been raped, Stone is a bit puzzled by the parents' reaction to the crime, and wonders if there might be some link between this assault and the murders. Stone Cold was based on the best-selling novel by noted crime author Robert B. Parker. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Tom Selleck, Jane Adams, (more)
Tom Selleck stars as General Dwight D. Eisenhower in the television film Ike: Countdown to D-Day. The film follows the General in the three months leading up to the decisive invasion that would turn the tide of World War II toward the Allied powers. The film opens with Winston Churchill (Ian Mune) appointing Eisenhower as the Supreme Allied Commander. Ike faces conflicts with British General Montgomery (Bruce Phillips), American General George Patton (Gerald McRaney), and French leader Charles de Gaulle (George Shevtsov). Eisenhower must balance these men's egos as he organizes the risky but necessary military maneuver. ~ Perry Seibert, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Tom Selleck
Following up the 2002 horror flick Wes Craven Presents: They, director Robert Harmon took on this cat-and-mouse thriller written by Craig Mitchell and Hans Bauer, the writing team behind 1999's Komodo. Jim Caviezel stars as Rennie, a man who suddenly finds his life destroyed by tragedy when his wife is murdered by a mysterious serial killer (Colm Feore). The culprit, it seems, is a psychopath with a penchant for hunting down and killing random women, using his green 1972 Cadillac El Dorado as his weapon. With revenge on his mind, Rennie sets out on the road in search of the elusive car and its homicidal driver. Along the way, Rennie meets a singer named Molly (Rhona Mitra) who suddenly finds herself embroiled in his unending quest for retribution. Frankie Faison also stars. ~ Matthew Tobey, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- James Caviezel, Rhona Mitra, (more)
Executive-produced by Steven Spielberg, the ten-episode, 20-hour miniseries Taken was one of the most ambitious projects undertaken by cable TV's Sci-Fi Network, ultimately costing 40 million dollars -- a price that proved well worth it, inasmuch as the series posted the network's highest-ever ratings. Covering a period from 1947 to the present, the story focused on three different families, each of whom was profoundly affected by extraterrestrial visitation. The Keys family was headed by WWII bomber pilot Russell Keys (Steve Burton), who spent virtually his entire adult life haunted by his "close encounter" with aliens. The Clarkes were originally represented by lonely Texas waitress Sally Clarke (Catherine Dent), who was impregnated by a charming stranger (Eric Close) who turned out to be an alien survivor of the Roswell crash. And the lives of the Crawfords were dictated by ruthless Army officer Owen Crawford (Joel Gretsch), who was determined to prove that the government had covered up the truth about Roswell by dedicating his life to tracking down all space aliens and their half-human descendants. The story was narrated by Allie Keys (Dakota Fanning), a "hybrid" child of the present day, whose story determined the outcome of the final episodes. Boasting impressive computer-generated special effects and eye-popping facial makeup, Taken was seen over a two-week period, beginning December 2, 2002, and ending on December 13. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Dakota Fanning, Alonso Oyarzun, (more)
A college students discovers a horrifying truth behind the old saying "They only come out at night" in this thriller. Julia Lund (Laura Regan) is a college student studying psychology who, as a child, was haunted by "night terrors," hideous nightmares so vivid they seem real. As Julia's life becomes more stressful, her childhood nightmares begin coming back; what's more, her friend Billy (Jon Abrahams), who had similar dreams as a boy, also reports that his terrors have returned, complete with the same monsters he claims spirited him away for two days when he was little. Julia's boyfriend Paul (Marc Blucas) is certain they're both just imagining things thanks to too much studying and too little sleep, but when Billy turns up dead, an apparent suicide, Julia is convinced something really is out to get them. Certain there really are monsters which come out to get people when the lights go off, Julia is determined to find and harness these creatures of the dark, while Paul is convinced his girlfriend has descended into madness. While he's given possessive credit for the film in the United States, Wes Craven was not in fact a part of the creative team behind They. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Laura Regan, Marc Blucas, (more)
- 2000
One of two sci-fi/fantasy series that premiered October 27, 2000, on UPN (see separate entry for Freedom), Level 9 was co-created by executive producer John Sacret Young and mystery novelist Michael Connelly. The series is based on the not-entirely-incredible premise that the next generation's security leaks, federal crimes, and international crises will be the handiwork of rogue computer hackers. What is needed, then, is a highly skilled team of "technological enforcers" to take on the new breed of cyber-crooks. The members of the top-secret government agency Level 9 include Annie Price (Kate Hodge), Jerry Hooten (Romany Malco), Jargon (Esteban Powell), Roland Travis (Fabrizio Filippo), Joss Nakano (Susie Park), Sosh (Kim Murphy), and Wiley (Max Martini). Appearing in the pilot episode is Tim Guinee as Detective John Burrows, whose plot function is promptly taken over by the "maverick" Wiley. Burdened with surprisingly unlikable characters, Level 9 has to rely upon its story values and top-level special effects. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Fab Filippo, Kate Hodge, (more)
Adapted by screenwriter Howard Fast from his own fact-based novel, this historical drama tells the story of one of the most unexpected triumphs of the American Revolutionary War. In December 1776, the armies of General George Washington (Jeff Daniels) are near the point of collapse; short on money and supplies, ravaged by disease, their numbers thinned by desertion, and freezing in summer uniforms in the midst of a brutal winter, it seems all but impossible that the Colonial Army can hold out much longer against the British Army and their allied German Hessian forces. With imminent defeat a clear possibility, Washington and his troops organize for an audacious surprise attack against the British soldiers on Christmas Day, hinging on the crossing of the freezing Delaware River in the middle of a storm. Co-starring Roger Rees, The Crossing was produced for broadcast by the Arts and Entertainment cable television network. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Jeff Daniels
- 1998
In this first episode of a two-part story, bounty hunters Knoll (Christopher Meloni) and Lichte (Vic Noto) descend upon Baltimore in search of fugitive killer Joe Errico -- and promptly shoot and kill the wrong man. Elsewhere, Al and Mike Giardello (Yaphet Kotto, Giancarlo Esposito) find themselves the reluctant subjects of a human-interest article in Baltimore Magazine; and Gharty (Peter Gerety) drives Munch (Richard Belzer) crazy with his vivid recollections of his war experiences in Vietnam. The episode ends on a cliffhanger, with a car carrying one of the bounty hunters and two of the detectives plowing into a vehicle driven by two senior citizens. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Richard Belzer, Giancarlo Esposito, (more)
- 1998
In the conclusion of a two-part story, Mike Giardello (Giancarlo Esposito) has physically recovered from the car accident that claimed the lives of two senior citizens, but emotionally it is a different story. Despite their resentment of the two bounty hunters who have arrived in Baltimore in search of fugitive killer Joe Errico, Mike and his father, Al (Yaphet Kotto), nonetheless agree to cooperate in bringing Errico to justice. The trail leads to Miami, where head bounty hunter Dennis Knoll (Christopher Meloni) offers to cut a deal with two of the nonplussed Baltimore detectives. This episode was originally scheduled to air on November 20, 1998. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Richard Belzer, Giancarlo Esposito, (more)
Gotti is the semi-biographical tale of John Gotti, the infamous crime boss of the Gambino mob family. This drama chronicles not only the bloody rise of Gotti, also known as the "Dapper Don", but the FBI's struggle to bring him to justice. His refusal to play by the normal "rules" of the mafia ultimately became the mobster's achilles heel; the FBI eventually persuaded assassin Sammy "The Bull" Gravano to testify against his ungrateful, paranoid boss, who was finally imprisoned in 1982. Gotti is based in part on a book written by Jerry Capeci and Gene Mustain titled Mob Star: The Story of John Gotti. Gotti, directed by Robert Harmon stars Armand Assante as the complicated mafia lord, and also features actors Anthony Quinn and William Forsythe. The drama aired on HBO in 1996, unwittingly serving as a precurser to what would later become the wildly popular mob drama The Sopranos. ~ Tracie Cooper, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Armand Assante, Anthony Quinn, (more)
An escaped convict fights for his rights while hiding out from the law in this action drama. Sam Gillen (Jean-Claude Van Damme) is a thief who, despite his criminal past, is an essentially decent man; he ended up behind bars after taking a murder rap for his partner. Sam escapes from prison in a daring jailbreak, and he hides out on a remote farm while on the run from police. A young boy named Mookie (Kieran Culkin) finds the fugitive and takes him in; it seems that the farm belongs to his mother Clydie (Roseanna Arquette), and soon Mookie and his sister Bree (Tiffany Taubman) have become friends with Sam, and Clydie and Sam fall in love. However, Franklin Hale (Joss Ackland), an unscrupulous land developer, wants to buy Clydie's farm and isn't taking no for an answer. When Hale's thug Dunston (Ted Levine) tries to use force to drive Clydie off her property, Sam is ready to fight fire with fire. Nowhere to Run was co-authored by noted screenwriter Joe Eszterhas; Richard Marquand received his story credit posthumously. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Jean-Claude Van Damme, Rosanna Arquette, (more)
Both enemies and a very special friend follow a young girl and her father in flight from ruthless criminals in this drama. Bobby Allen (John Travolta) is a small-time crook working as a bagman for the mob in Chicago. When circumstances force Bobby to turn against his brother-in-law -- a high-ranking mobster -- he realizes Chicago is no longer a safe place for him or his young daughter, and soon they're on the run to California. A crew of mob enforcers are trailing after Bobby and his little girl before long, but there's someone else looking for them as well -- the girl took in a wounded Doberman who had been used for illegal dogfights and nursed him back to health, and when the dog is left behind, the loyal pooch sets out on a cross-country journey to find his best friend. Filmed in 1991, Eyes of an Angel was not released until 1994, when John Travolta's career enjoyed a resurgence after the success of Pulp Fiction and the film was made available on home video. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- John Travolta, Ellie Raab, (more)
Pretty boy actor C. Thomas Howell stars in this dark, violent suspense film about the strange psychological bond between a traveling serial killer and one of his intended victims. Driving cross-country from Chicago to San Diego, Jim (Howell) narrowly avoids an accident when he falls asleep at the wheel. He picks up a hitchhiker to help stay awake, but within five minutes, the erratic John Ryder (Rutger Hauer) has threatened not only Jim's life, but also his manhood, brandishing a switchblade to the boy's crotch and ordering him to keep driving. Jim manages to escape, but soon Ryder begins a game of cat-and-mouse across the Texas highways, taunting the lad from the windows of passing cars, then leaving the corpses of his victims in their vehicles by the side of the road for Jim to discover. A sympathetic face arrives in the form of Nash (Jennifer Jason Leigh), the waitress at an otherwise deserted truck stop in this bleak, abandoned landscape, but the local police soon arrive, intent on hanging Jim out to dry for the string of grisly murders. The stakes continue to mount in Ryder's little game until Jim finds himself embroiled in a statewide manhunt with Nash at his side. Former cinematographer Robert Harmon made his directorial debut with this popular thriller; screenwriter Eric Red, also making his debut, would go on to write similarly brooding genre fare including Near Dark, Bad Moon, and Alien 3. ~ Brian J. Dillard, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Rutger Hauer, C. Thomas Howell, (more)
- 1982
- PG
Yes, friends, the world will come to an end in the year 2000. This time, folks, we're not relying on mere Biblical prophecy, but on The Jupiter Menace. Gather closely, friends, as we tell you how, thanks to the gravitational pull of the largest planet in the Solar System, the earth will be thrown off its Axis. This won't happen, mind you, on December 29, 1999 or the 30th, or the 31st ; no, this disastrous event won't take place until the ball drops in Times Square and the world celebrates the coming of 2000. It's nice to know that our fate has been so succinctly pinpointed. Jupiter Menace is narrated by actor George Kennedy, who at last report was stocking up on breath fresheners, just in case the stores are all closed after the Apocalypse. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- George Kennedy
